HOST (IN ARABIC): Halo, and welcome to A Journey through Aesthetic Realms. Today we have the pleasure of introducing you to the renowned Iraqi Hungarian musician Mr. Omar Bashir, a master of the oud.
The oud is a traditional Arabic short scaled lute.

Supreme Master Television met with Mr. Bashir at the 9th Montreal Arab World Festival in Canada, where he was accompanied by flamenco guitarist Mr. András Turó and acoustic guitarist Mr. Bálint Petz.

Mr. Omar Bashir was born in 1970 into a musical family in Budapest, Hungary. His father, the late legendary Munir Bashir, was considered by many to be the greatest oud player of all time.

The oud is one of the most popular instruments in Middle Eastern music. Its name is derived from the Arabic word for “wood,” which refers to the strips of wood used to make its rounded body.

The short neck of the oud contributes to its unique sound. Munir Bashir was famous for his novel way of improvisation, and was responsible for bringing the oud to the center of the performance stage, demonstrating that it can be a solo instrument on its own with amazing flexibility of expression.

Omar Bashir, his father’s only disciple, is considered to be one of the most brilliant oud players playing today. He has 18 albums to his name in a variety of innovative styles. Besides that, he is also a composer and a conductor. We spoke with Mr. Omar Bashir about his career as a distinguished musician.

 Our special thanks to the Festival du Monde Arabe de Montréal & its organizers especially Mr. Joseph Nakhlé, Artistic Director & General Director of FMA for more info, please visit www.festivalarabe.com